Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Underdog takes on bully in light, fun chapter book.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Eugene Flystein may not be very good at flying, but he's a creative inventor of contraptions that turn boogers into frozen pizza and a self-changing diaper machine. He and his new friend, Fred Flea, keep getting picked on by Cornelius Cockroach, the biggest bully in the town of Stinkopolis. Eugene hopes to use his new invention, the Ultimo 6-9000, to increase his strength by 9,000 times so he can take on Cornelius -- but Cornelius gets zapped first and goes on a crime spree. It's up to Super Fly and Fantastic Flea to stop Crazy Cockroach before he can take over the world.
Is It Any Good?
The small are mighty -- and mighty funny -- in Todd H. Doodler's cute chapter-book series about a nerdy fly taking on a predictably resilient bullying cockroach. Short, simple sentences, illustrations on every spread, and quickly moving chapters make SUPER FLY: THE WORLD'S SMALLEST SUPERHERO! a likely winner for very young readers.
Eugene; his sister, Elle; and his best friend, Fred, are kind and considerate and plenty heroic without the use of Eugene's invention. Kids will delight in the goofy, gross humor. This is a world where stale popcorn with spoiled butter is a treat. Charming black-and-white, cartoon-style artwork adds to the appeal.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Super Fly: The World's Smallest Superhero! compares with origin stories for other superheroes and villains. What do they have in common? How is this one unique?
Would the story be as funny if the characters were children? Would the bullying scenes feel different?
Try writing a story set in an insect's world.
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Superheroes , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Animals ( Bugs ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Bloomsbury USA
- Publication date : May 5, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 5 - 7
- Number of pages : 128
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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